This invention relates generally to a new and useful container. More particularly, it relates to a combination shipping container and compartmented display box formed from a single-piece blank of foldable paperboard or corrugated board. The various components making up the entire container are included in, and, some are separable from, the blank. That is to say, the divider walls which, along with the side, front, and back walls, define the compartments of the display box can be detached from the blank as initially formed. Also, the fold line by which the outer body portion defining the cover section or top of the container is hingedly connected to the bottom portion defining the display box is provided with a continuous line of perforations that permit separation or removal of the top portion. The resultant containers are so constructed that several of them can be stacked, one on the other, without damage to their contents.
In transporting packaged consumer goods to market, it is usually necessary that the containers utilized be of rugged construction. Such containers of goods should be capable of being transported from the manufacturer to the distributer or retailer without damage. Again, if empty containers had to be assembled prior to shipment to the manufacturer who would then fill them with the packaged goods, there would, of course, be resultant dead space which would force either reduction of the size of the shipment per unit of shipping space or an increase thereof at greater cost per order of containers. This problem is usually resolved by shipping the blanks, from which the containers are to be made, flat and stacked one on another. Again, such containers should, preferably, be made from one-piece blanks, since containers made from more than one blank obviously require additional labor in assembling and handling and, therefore, added expense. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a rugged combination shipping container and display box capable of being formed from a one-piece blank which overcomes the aforesaid shipping and handling problems.
Another object of this invention is to provide a combination shipping container and display box in which the outer portion defining the cover section of the display box is divided from it by a line of perforations extending laterally along the top edge of the back wall of the display box to permit its removal from the lower portion defining the display box.
The manufacturer of the goods to be packaged usually assembles the containers, either manually or by means of appropriate machines, into their desired erected form. Therefore, simplicity of the container blank design is a very important factor. Obviously, the task of the manufacturer of the goods to be packaged is complicated if he is required to assemble and secure the container in its desired form by use of extraneous means such as staples, straps, rivets, glue, paste, etc. This problem is resolved by incorporating in the blank means to secure the container in its desired erected form. Accordingly, it is another object of this invention to provide a container blank of relatively simple design which requires a minimum of manual skill or apparatus, and no extra parts, to be transformed into the desired erected form.
Once assembled and filled with the goods to be packaged whether they are in smaller boxes, packets, cans, bottles, jars, bags or the like, the shipping containers are often stacked one on the other. For this reason, such containers must first be of durable construction to withstand the weight of other similarly filled containers which are stacked on them. Second, unless such containers are sturdy enough to endure not only the weight of numbers of like containers stacked thereon, but the duration of the stacking required and adverse handling and shipping circumstances, there is a problem of having the contents thereof damaged. Therefore, still another object of this invention is to provide a container wherein the wall thicknesses are doubled or tripled simply by overlapping elements of the blank when the container is erected.
With these and other objects in view, the nature of which will be more apparent, the invention will be more fully understood by references to the attached drawings, the accompanying detailed description, and the appended claims.